7 reasons why you should start drinking a smoothie EVERYDAY
1. Smoothies are the best BREAKFAST
The word ‘breakfast’ is derived from literally ‘breaking’ a ‘fast’. A ‘fast’ is a period where you are not consuming any food or calories — like overnight when you are sleeping.
After a (hopefully) prolonged period of rest, our bodies’ energy stores are depleted, and we wake up ready to refuel for the upcoming day. A typical North American breakfast is very carbohydrate-heavy: think toasts, muffins, cereal, and bagels. Suppose the first thing we consume in the morning is a bagel. In that case, our body responds to that high sugar and carbohydrate content by rapidly increasing insulin levels to start bringing in all that energy (glucose) from the blood into storage and muscle. But what goes up must come down, right?!
Yup, bring on the midday crash and fatigue where you reach for your second cup of coffee. This is the rebound effect of consuming high carbohydrate and sugary breakfasts.
Let’s rewind — what happens when we substitute toast and jam for a Revive Superfoods Smoothie to break our overnight fast?
Revive Superfood smoothies are a mix of protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and fat, which our body takes longer to digest and convert into fuel. This leads to a more sustained energy burst throughout the morning and avoiding that midday crash. Think of it as being similar to fueling a car with premium gasoline that is much more energy-efficient and gives you a lot more mileage in the long run versus regular gasoline.
Not a huge “breakfast” person? No worries! Smoothies are a quick and fun way to increase your nutrient uptake any time of day!
2. Smoothies keep you hydrated
Adding 2-3 cups of water (500-750ml) as your base liquid to your Revive Superfoods smoothies is a great way to start hydrating for the day ahead. On average, most adults, especially those who are active, are not drinking enough fluids regularly. When you drink a smoothie every day, you are adding to your fluid intake. Staying hydrated is beneficial for our skin, digestive system, and overall body function.
Add in some coconut water to the Mango & Papaya smoothie as your liquid base to enhance the coconut flavor and extra hydration!
3. Smoothies are packed with FRUITS & VEGETABLES
Let’s be honest – most of us are not achieving our target of 6-8 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. We may throw some vegetables in with our dinner, but ultimately, the average standard North American diet is very LOW in fruits and vegetables. Revive Superfoods smoothies are a great way of sneaking more vegetables into your diet. Try the Coffee & Cacao smoothie, which contains cauliflower, or the Blueberry & Cacao smoothie, which is packed with kale! #CruciferousSuperpower. No, but seriously, cruciferous vegetables like kale and broccoli are nutrient-dense vegetables that are high in micronutrients like calcium, magnesium, b-vitamins, and iron. Talk about superfoods!!
4. Smoothies are pumped with SUPERFOODS & ANTIOXIDANTS
Smoothies are a great way of boosting your immune, digestive, and skin health with superfoods and antioxidants. The Mango & Pineapple smoothie contains the superfood camu camu powder, which is high in vitamin C, contributing to strengthening the collagen in our skin, teeth enamel, and immune function.
5. Smoothies are CONVENIENT
Revive Superfoods smoothies are mess-free and take less than 5-minutes to prepare! If you are in a rush to get to work or stressed about an upcoming workday, a Revive Superfoods smoothies cup is a nutrient-dense option at your fingertips — peel, pour, blend and enjoy! One of the biggest obstacles that people say get in the way of reaching their health goals is TIME. Having ready-to-go smoothies on hand makes it easy to make better choices for your health. My biggest tip for making your life even easier — wash or rinse your blender immediately after use. Otherwise, you’ll waste time scrubbing away later in the day.
6. Smoothies are ECONOMICAL
Purchasing take-out food is one of the easiest ways to tack on extra expenses throughout the month. Unfortunately, those muffins, bagels, sandwiches to-go start to add up. The approximate price of a restaurant or to-go breakfast is $7-25 Canadian (1), which may end up costing you hundreds of dollars every single month.
Revive Superfoods smoothies start at $7.99 (CAD), $6.99 (USD) per cup — your bank account will thank you!
7. Frozen produce in smoothies help reduce FOOD WASTE
Contrary to popular belief, fresh is not always best when it comes to your produce. Frozen fruits and vegetables contain just as many nutrients and have a much longer shelf life than fresh produce. You may have had good intentions of using that package of spinach in your fridge. Unfortunately, it went bad and wilted before you even had the chance to eat it! Food waste is most commonly in the form of fruits and vegetables and contributes to a significant environmental burden.
With Revive Superfoods, every cup is pre-portioned, minimizing food waste. Plus, all our smoothies are vegan-friendly — bonus!
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Written by Sophie Pollon-MacLeod (@dr.sophiepm). Sophie is a Toronto-based Naturopathic Doctor who provides an individualized all-encompassing full-body approach to supporting her patients in weight loss, performance, and pain management
